STELLA'S TOMB RAIDER: UNFINISHED BUSINESS WALKTHROUGH
LEVEL 4: THE HIVE |
Updated: 5/5/24(†) |
NOTE: One of the regular pickups in this level will be the UZIS if you didn't find them earlier.
LEVEL MAP by VGCartography (used with permission)
The Hive Video Walkthrough by Eldincy
ROOM WITH BOULDERS & CHECKERBOARD FLOOR: Enter and pick up a small medi pack and magnum clips (1-2). Watch out for the small lava pits in the corners, and note the two closed doors on the side walls. Approach the alcoves just ahead and pick up 2 sets of Uzi clips (3-4). (Don't worry, the 2 mutants (1-2) in the alcoves won't come to life yet.)
Proceed to the room ahead with the checkerboard floor. There are 25 boulders dangling from the ceiling. The floor is conveniently marked off in squares as well, with five rows of five squares under the boulders and two rows of five without boulders beyond. A long trench filled with lava runs along each side of the checkerboard area, preventing you from straying off the floor. Two of the boulders roll harmlessly off to the sides as you approach. Stepping on various squares causes various boulders to roll—and not in a very predictable fashion. You're aiming for the two alcoves on the other side of the boulders. I imagine there are a number of viable ways for getting through this trap. Here's one:
To make it easier, I've provided a diagram. Each square is marked with a letter or number (A through 9 for the 35 squares) in the diagram. Red arrows show the path to the alcoves, green arrows the path back. I've tried to make the description useful without the diagram, but I think the visual aid helps a lot.
Stand at the right side of the doorway and step forward onto the white square (D) to the right of the center dark square (C). Side flip left to the next white square (B), then quickly side flip back to the right (D). When the boulders have passed, run back to the white square on the left (B), triggering another boulder, which rolls over the gray square (C). Step forward to the dark square ahead (G), which is safe. Jump diagonally to the dark square ahead and to the right (M). Boulders roll past harmlessly on both sides. Sidestep to the white square on the left (L), which is now safe. Side flip to the right to land on next white square (N); quickly flip back to L. When the boulder has passed, flip back to the right (N). Step forward to the next dark square (S), which is safe. Side flip left to the next dark square (Q), then quickly flip back to the right (S). When it's safe to move again, flip back to the left (Q). From there you can run forward into the left alcove safely (V, 1, 6).
Pull the switch here to open one of the doors near the entrance and animate the first mutant (1). Avoid its darts as well as you can without running into the boulder trap area. Remember that the squares directly in front of the alcove are safe, so you can move forward if necessary. When you step on the dark square between the alcoves (7), a boulder comes rolling in from the other side of the room, so go quickly to the right alcove. The switch here opens the other door and revives the other mutant (2), which shoots fireballs. Jumping in place helps avoid the fireballs if you can time it correctly. When the mutant is dead, run forward and to the right, from the doorway (8) to the white square in front of the boulder between the alcoves (2). From here, you can step to the right (1) then run straight out under the boulder-free path (V, Q, L, G, B).
Return to the three doors near the entrance and go through the one on the right. Time a run past the metal jaw trap then pick up 2 sets of magnum clips (5-6) in the alcove beyond. Return to the main hall and take the opposite door. Here there are arrow traps as well as a jaw trap. Take each in turn and you'll manage. At the end of the passage is a small medi pack (7).
SERIES OF SLOPES ABOVE LAVA POOL: Below is a series of slopes above a lava pool. In order to reach the safe area at one side of the lava pool, you'll need to do a series of sliding jumps. (This set of screenshots shows the details.) Begin by standing on the ledge facing slightly to the left. Jump forward to land on the first slope so Lara slides down facing forward. Near the end of the slide, jump to clear the gap and land on the next slide. Slide again and jump across the next gap to the slope beyond, which angles down to the left. Now hold down the Jump key so Lara hops back and forth between the two angled slopes over the lava stream. Hold the right direction key at the same time so she gradually creeps to the right as she jumps. Stop when she reaches the slightly raised block at the far side of the left hand slope.
CAVE WITH BLACK STONE COLUMNS & LAVA STREAM: Step forward into the open and kill the mutant (3) lurking on the left. Approach the spot where the mutant emerged and look to the right. There's a gap in the sloping stone wall here with a low, flat step. (The first of these screenshots shows the spot.) When you move toward the low step, a flying mutant (4) rises out of the deep lava pit ahead. If you keep the shotgun ready, you can take it down with three blasts just as it appears.
SECRET CAVE IN LAVA PIT: Step off the edge of the step (or hang from the edge and drop) to land on a flat block in the lava pit below. (Again, check the screenshots if you need a visual.) Move to the outer corner of the block and take a standing jump across the lava to the next safe block. Step carefully off the edge or hang and drop onto the ledge below. Position Lara at the outer corner of this block and angle her toward the block in the opposite corner of the cave, where there's a large medi pack (8). Hop back and then take a running jump to grab the edge of the block. Pull up and take the medi pack, which is this level's only SECRET.
To get back out, retrace your steps: First, turn around, move to the outer corner of the block and angle Lara toward the block you just came from. Hop back and then take a running jump to grab the edge of the block. Pull up. Climb back onto the ledge above. Now take a running jump across the lava to grab the edge of the block where you first dropped down. Climb back up to the rim of the pit.
Turn right and head back toward the area where the mutant you killed earlier came from. There's a small medi pack (9) on the ground in the near left (southeast) corner. Get it. Then jump up the slope to land on the flat rim of the structure with the red-and-gold ceiling. Be careful not to run forward into the lava pit in the center.
There's another mutant (5) on the far side of the room between the black pillars. It's difficult to target it from above without also being a target for its darts or fireballs. So run across the platform, slide down the other side and use the shotgun to take out the mutant at close range. Pick up another small medi pack (10) in the far left (southwest) corner.
Head to the right (north) toward the lava stream. There's a red-and-gold door on the left and several blocks, some flat and some sloping, sticking up out of the lava.
NOTE: If you didn't get the secret in the lava pit before, you can also reach it from this side. Climb onto the low wall on the right before you reach the lava stream. (This screenshot shows the spot.) Kill the flying mutant (4) that rises up from the deep lava pit if you haven't already done so. Then jump onto the sloping ledge to the right. Slide back and grab the rim of the pit, and then drop onto the flat, dark-colored block below. Continue by following the path to the secret described above. After obtaining it, make your way back here.
TIMED DOORS & BLOCK JUMPING IN THE LAVA STREAM: Take a carefully angled running jump from the bank of the lava stream to the tan block ahead on the right. (These screenshots show the sequence.)
From here you can see that there are actually 2 red-and-gold doors at the end of the lava stream. The surface of this block is a pressure pad that opens the door on the right. Before heading for the exit, make a couple of pickups: Move toward the corner of the block nearest to the open door. Walk back a couple of steps and then take a standing jump to land on the low, square ledge with the Uzi clips (11). Grab them, turn right and walk to the edge of the ledge. Then take another standing jump to land on the angled block ahead, which also has Uzi clips (12). Turn back toward the light-colored block with the pressure pad. Walk to the corner of the angled block and take a standing jump forward to land on the block with the pressure pad.
The door is timed to close about 15 seconds after Lara steps off the pressure pad. To get through in time, begin by walking to the edge of the block nearest the low block where you found the first set of clips. Stand near the left corner facing the low block. Take a standing jump forward to land on it. Then take another standing jump to land on the bank of the lava stream ahead. Run up the slope, veering to the left as you run down the path so that Lara is facing the end wall of the cavern. There's more lava ahead, so be careful not to run off the path. Try to aim for the back (right) edge of the last block in the path. This will put Lara in the perfect position to take the next running jump without having to waste time setting it up. Run along the block and jump at the edge to clear the lava stream and grab the block near the door. Pull up, turn right and run through before the door closes.
If you're having trouble with this sequence, try the other timed door. To open it, jump across the blocks to the other light-colored block a bit farther upstream. The pressure pad on that block opens the red-and-gold door on the left. Like the other timed door, this one closes about 15 seconds after Lara leaves the pad. To get through in time, begin by taking a running jump onto the angled block where you found the second set of clips, aiming for the left side of that block. Turn left and take a standing jump onto the light-colored block that opens the door on the right. Now take a few seconds to walk to the edge of the block nearest the doors, hop back and take a running jump to grab the block below the left door. Pull up and run through. (This screenshot shows that sequence.)
ROOM WITH UNEVEN LEDGES & MUTANT INCUBATORS: You are now aiming for the curved, fleshy wall that runs across the middle of this room between the two incubators.
NOTE: The switch in the southwest corner of this room re-opens the timed door leading back to the LAVA STREAM. You shouldn't need to return there if you've followed this walkthrough, but if you missed the secret, you can go back and get it.
If you've entered through the timed door on the right, take a running jump from the doorway to land on the right side of the gray, sloping block against the opposite wall. Jump once more to spring off of the gray block and land on the curved, fleshy wall. Lara will slide down toward the middle of the wall and stop. (These screenshots show the sequence.)
If you've entered through the timed door on the left, stand at the right side of the doorway and step off onto the fleshy slope below. (Check these screenshots if necessary.) Slide down to the flat, fleshy spot beneath the first incubator. Turn around and jump to grab the edge of the tan slope below the other timed door. Traverse to left just past the seam between this block and the adjacent one. Pull up and backflip onto the gray, sloped block behind. Slide nearly to the bottom of the slope and jump forward to land on the curved, fleshy wall. Lara will slide down toward the middle of the wall and stop.
As soon as Lara lands on the fleshy wall, the eggs hatch releasing 2 winged mutants (6-7). You might want to hold down the Walk key to keep from slipping into the lava below as you fight.
If you miss the jump to the fleshy wall or slip off the wall on the safe side, rather than into the lava, you can climb the tan blocks on the same side of the room as the timed doors. Then jump from the uppermost block to the fleshy wall.
After you've killed the mutants, move to the end of the wall farthest from the incubators. Turn left and take a running jump (without pressing Action) to land on the jutting, fleshy ledge below the exit.
From here you can see a centaur (8) in the room above, but don't worry; it doesn't animate until you climb up to its level. If you use the shotgun or magnums and jump from side to side to avoid the centaur's fireballs, it won't take long to kill it at close range.
WINDOWED ROOM WITH UZIS: Safety drop through the opening in the floor into the room below. Pick up the UZIS (13) on the pedestal, plus some clips (14) on the floor nearby. (NOTE: If you already have the guns, you'll get clips here instead.) Now slide down the long slope to land in a small, subterranean lake.
CAVE WITH LAKE & PYRAMID-LIKE STRUCTURE: Surface near where you splashed down and climb out of the water on the right side. There's a mutant (9) lurking on the ledge above. Climb up, kill it quickly before it bombards Lara with fireballs. Then pick up the magnum clips (15) in the corner.
Follow the walkway toward the far end, where it slopes down toward the water. Just before the end of the walkway, there's a square bit that juts out on the left. (This screenshot shows the spot.) Take a running jump from there to the flat, rectangular island in front of the tiered ledges with the 3 mutants (10-12). When Lara lands on the island, the mutants animate, and you can shoot them from there. Then jump to grab the edge of the block on the right side of the wide opening. Pull up and go forward. Climb over the tiered ledges and drop down behind them to find 5 sets of Uzi clips (16-20).
When you climb back out, 2 more mutants (13-14) emerge on ledges near the lake and start hurling fireballs. Now would be a good time to break out the Uzis if you haven't already done so. After killing them, go to the right side of the opening above the water and jump over to the square block with the magnum clips (21) on top. Another mutant (15) is standing on the next ledge across the water. You can easily kill it from here.
If you want all the pickups, jump back into the water and explore the bottom of the lake. You'll find 5 small medi packs and a set of Uzi clips (22-27) scattered about: One medi pack is near the northwest corner of the lake. Two more health packs and the clips are concealed in various niches beneath the tan stone structure with red supports in the middle of the lake. One medi pack is in the northeast corner below the ledge where you killed the first mutant. The fifth medi pack is underneath the ledge in the southeast corner, where there is still one more mutant (16) guarding a gold door.
NOTE: There's a red-and-gold door under the ledge in the southwest corner of the lake. This door only opens from the other side, so ignore it for now.
After getting that last health pack, swim to the surface and climb out of the water on the small, square ledge. Get a lock on the mutant and then jump up and down in place while shooting (as shown in this screenshot). If you can manage to get a lock on it before it starts throwing fireballs, it shouldn't be able to damage Lara much. It may even run for the door and get stuck there. When it's dead, jump over to the block to the right of the doorway and climb up. Pick up 2 sets of Uzi clips (28-29) in the alcoves on the left, then use the 2 switches to open the first gold door and another one just beyond the first.
BEHIND THE GOLD DOOR: There are 2 centaurs (17-18) lurking behind the pillars in the next room. There's plenty of room to maneuver out in the open, but if you prefer, you can run in to get the centaurs' attention and then rush back to the doorway to kill them from relative safety. In the raised niches between the switches are 3 sets of Uzi clips (30-32). Near the gold doors at the far end of the room are 2 large medi packs (33-34).
There are 4 switches, two on each side of the central pillars. Start with the two on the side nearer the entrance. First use the switch on the left to open the gold door at the end of the room on the left, releasing a mutant (19). When you've killed it, pull the switch on the right to open a door at the top of the tan stone structure in the middle of the lake. On the other side of the pillars, the left switch opens another door inside the stone structure, and the right switch opens the other gold door, releasing another mutant (20). Kill that one too.
SMALL HATCHERY WITH POOL: Enter the glassed-in room through either gold door. Proceed slowly. The three eggs hatch as you approach them, releasing a centaur (21), from the middle egg, plus 2 winged mutants (22-23). Once each has hatched, you can retreat to the doorway for a safer spot from which to shoot.
When all three mutants are dead, jump in the water and pull the 2 levers to open underwater doors on each side of this pool. Behind the left door are 4 sets of Uzi clips and a large medi pack (35-39). Behind the right door is a warren of underwater tunnels containing 3 boxes of shotgun shells, 2 sets of Uzi clips and a large medi pack (40-45). There's also another lever here, which opens another underwater door, just below and to the left. Go through that door to emerge back at the lake in the previous area.
Swim to the northwest corner of the lake, near the wide opening with the tiered, fleshy ledges. Climb out at the base of the sloping walkway (at the spot shown in this screenshot). Go up the walkway and turn right where the tan stone structure connects to the walkway. Take a standing jump up the first steep slope. Turn left and take another standing jump to the small ledge ahead on the left. Climb onto the ledge above, turn right and grab the Uzi clips (46) near the entrance. (This screenshot shows where to climb.)
INSIDE THE STONE STRUCTURE: Enter the structure and go up the ramp to the left. Vault onto a low, tan step, turn left and climb onto a slightly higher and darker block. There's a tan ledge straight ahead, but don't climb onto it. Instead turn around to face another ledge with magnum clips (47) on it. Jump forward to grab that ledge, pull up and take the ammo. Then climb onto the low, fleshy wall on the right.
Just beyond this wall, below on the left, are the two small doors you opened earlier using the switches in the room BEHIND THE GOLD DOOR. Both doors lead into the same room. There's another mutant (24) just inside. Draw weapons, (the shotgun is especially effective here), hop down, run past the first door and go through the second door. Immediately turn left and start shooting. Entering through the second door instead of the first puts a little more distance between Lara and the mutant. Two or three shotgun blasts should take it down before it pounces.
Get the small medi pack (48) on the high ledge on the left side of the room. Then follow the long, low-ceilinged corridor on the right, picking up 2 boxes of shotgun shells (49-50). Continue to the end and go through the second door, which opens as you approach.
You have to pick up the last box of shells in order to open the door to the next area, but if you use a little strategy it isn't hard to kill all the mutants without taking any damage.
The diagram at right shows the layout of the room. Red numbers represent each mutant, and black numbers show which squares on the floor trigger each mutant to animate. Using this information, you can trigger just one or two mutants at a time and then jump back onto the pedestal to kill them from safety. Squares with no black numbers have no triggers, but keep in mind that jumping over a square with a trigger will activate any mutants connected to that trigger. Also, after you shoot at a mutant a few times, it will run out into the hallway. You may then have to come down from the pedestal to draw it back into the room. One final note: If you use the trigger points carefully, you can leave the room without activating mutants 2, 3 and 5. (Very special thanks to Brad D. for this information.)
MUTANT HATCHERY: When you've finished with the mutant room, exit the way you came in. Turn right and continue to the next small door, which is now open. This leads into a room with a checkerboard floor, beyond which is the hatchery. There are 2 switches near the entrance. Both are needed to open the gold door at the far end, and the door is timed. The eggs hatch when you approach, releasing 4 winged mutants (33-36) that throw fireballs. I recommend hatching each one in turn and killing the mutants one at time so you aren't outnumbered. Then, when the coast is clear, pull the switches and run for the door.
As you enter, the door closes behind you and the centaur (37) playing nanny starts shooting fireballs. Jump from side to side while firing to quickly dispatch the centaur. All the eggs in this room are "blanks," so there's no need to worry about more enemies. Go to the far end of the room and follow the ramps down to the bottom to find 2 sets of Uzi clips and a large medi pack (58-60).
You don't have to kill all the mutants in the next room but, again, I recommend hatching each egg and fighting the beasties one at a time before going for the door. Here every other egg is empty, so there are 4 mutants (38-41) in all. Also, the pits below the incubators contain lava so don't jump around too much.
When you've destroyed all four mutants, go to the switch near the entrance. This opens the door at the far end of the room. It's also timed. To make it to the door before it closes, throw the switch, tap the Look button to regain Lara's perspective, hop back twice and turn left. Then run along past the red blocks, using running jumps to cover more distance. As you approach the far side of the room, take a final running jump angled to the right toward the doorway and continue running through.
You land on a slope, which dumps you in a pool as empty eggs hatch above. Swim through the opening on the right to end the level. And that's all she wrote...at least until the next installment!
NOTE: As in Tomb Raider 1, if you start another game now without quitting, you'll have all weapons and unlimited ammunition.
†UPDATE HISTORY: 5/25/09 - First major update since I began tracking changes. Added various screenshots, streamlined the strategy in a few areas, and made numerous minor revisions for clarity.
2/5/24 - Added VGCartography's level maps, with permission. Visit VGCartography on DeviantArt for high-res versions, and follow on Twitter/X and YouTube for more fantastic game maps.
5/5/24 - Added sequential kill and item counts in the walkthrough text.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Special thanks are given to the participants in the alt.games.tombraider newsgroup, without whom some parts of this walkthrough couldn't have been written. Thanks also to Brad D. for help mapping the ROOM WITH SQUARE PILLARS & STANDING MUTANTS.
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